By Steven Clarke
An unfeigned disaster has occurred. A portion of Peru’s Nazca lines have been destroyed, and all just because of greed.
The lines were destroyed by the heavy equipment of a Peruvian mining company called Galvez, as they excavated the area looking for base construction material for their newly upgraded mine.
The Nazca lines are a particularly tenuous archaeological artifact, most of them being 10-30 cm deep, and constructed between 400 and 650 AD.
The parched and windless environment is responsible for their survival for last 1500 years, but all that is rivaled by the owner’s greed. The owner of the limestone aggregates company claims that the land and the lines are on his private property and he can do whatever he likes with the property.
The director of research at Ojos de Condor, Eduardo Herrán Gómez de la Torre describes the extensive damage and witnessed the irreparable destruction to a set of lines and trapezoids that existed in the area.
The company responsible for the disaster has not been sanctioned or supervised by the authorities of the Regional Directorate of Culture of Ica, despite of being in this great archaeological reserve.
The site of Nazca lines was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994 (UNESCO Ref 700) which covers some 500 square Kilometers Pampas de Jumana in southern Peru.
Mario Olaechea Aquije, the director of culture of Nasca said that the land is privately owned and the owner is free to work according to his will. The damage which took place near mile market 444 of the Panamericana Sur Highway is not yet clear.
The most iconic images and shapes of Nazca lines were fortunately unscathed and are in no instant danger. But the sites of such archaeological and historic importance need more belligerent legal protections.
The company responsible for the disaster has not been sanctioned or supervised by the authorities of the Regional Directorate of Culture of Ica, despite of being in this great archaeological reserve.
The site of Nazca lines was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994 (UNESCO Ref 700) which covers some 500 square Kilometers Pampas de Jumana in southern Peru.
Mario Olaechea Aquije, the director of culture of Nasca said that the land is privately owned and the owner is free to work according to his will. The damage which took place near mile market 444 of the Panamericana Sur Highway is not yet clear.
The most iconic images and shapes of Nazca lines were fortunately unscathed and are in no instant danger. But the sites of such archaeological and historic importance need more belligerent legal protections.
As the story is attaining universal impetus, the public opinion and pressure may force the government of Peru to act in support to it. But we only can hope that someone takes the initiative to at least ensure that no more damage is caused to Nazca lines and other archaeological sites.
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